Aesthetically Unpleasant
by initial-i
Summary: A one-shot on Mustang and Hawkeye post ending. It has some spoilers. R&R.


Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

It is a pleasant night in Central, breezy wind, not too warm, but not too cold either. Actually, it is a perfect night after what he had been through today. He had imagined that it could be easily done without the fuss or complaints of the people, but apparently the goddess of fortune was not with him.

Then again, he couldn't really blame the people of Amestris for their ballistic reactions when he told them he officially resigned from the military. After it was revealed that Fuhrer Bradley was indeed a homunculus and his intention behind the wars declared by the military was simply to create the philosopher stone, he, Roy Mustang, and those who helped him with the coup were deemed as heroes. (Of course, that was only after the people were informed of what a homunculus is and what philosopher stone does.) Yet, he really wanted to keep his decision a private matter. Before, he would probably enjoy the attention showered by the press, but after the revolution, his newfound affection for peace and quiet overshadowed his young ego of popularity.

"Major General Mustang!! What are your reasons for resignation?"

"Major General! Do you regret leaving the military?"

"Sir! You wielded the most power in the military after the dai-souto was overthrown. In what direction will the military go now that you have left?"

After **that **experience, he concluded that the press is generally an unfeeling and negligent crowd. They, of course, had to forget that he had been promoted to General in lieu of his resignation, supposedly as gesture of gratitude. Traditionally, resignations are considered private matters and yet _his _resignation seems more of a celebrity scandal.

Being a natural charmer, he would never drop a hint to the people that suggested he no longer care about them.

"The military has been everything to me; my family, my friends, my comfort, and my contribution to the Amestris. While I would thoroughly enjoy holding such position, I feel that inevitably, I would be a burden to the reconstruction of it. To heal itself completely, the military needs a strong leader. With my injuries from the revolution, I would prove to be an easy target to those who might disrupt the process."

He then promised to help rebuild Amestris as a civilian, actually, he convinced many that by being a civilian, he would be more of a contribution with the newly formed parliamentary as a governing body. The parliamentary is the decision-making agent. If he wants to make significant changes, that is where he had to be.

Although he wasn't lying about his reasons for resignation, he admitted, to himself, that he wasn't being completely honest. His reasons were more...selfish. He felt a pang of guilt for a split second, but he rationalized that he had made a significant change for the people. There is a reason why they will not be in a war for a philosopher stone.

"Roy, come inside. It's getting quite chilly out there."

Roy Mustang lethargically got up from his chair and made his way from the patio to the small and cozy dining room. There, he saw Riza pouring tea into the cups settled on the table.

He sat on one of the chairs. As he peered to her softened face and her no longer pinned up blond hair, he recollects bits and pieces of her. Riza Hawkeye. She had moved in with him a couple months ago. Initially, she stayed with him to take care of his injuries, to make sure that none of them would get out of hand, basically, to ensure his survival. Her stay was prolonged when he developed nightmares. She would be there to wake him up, to tell him that Ishbal wasn't his fault, and to narrate stories of the future.

When one of the tenants in the apartment moved out, Riza decided to rent it so she can be near him, in case anything happened. But before she could speak to the landlord, he preemptively persuaded her to move in _with_ him.

"Don't bother going across the hall. Move in with me."

"What?"

"Riza, don't you think that at this point... it would be a waste to spend our handsome pension for unnecessary dwelling?"

We've talked beforehand of my resignation. She, likewise, decided to give civilian life a try. She knew that our pension...not handsome at all. Out of practical reasons, or hopefully more, she agreed.

As he reached for the sugar, Riza had already settled across me.

"You never told me why you wanted to resign."

"Really?"

"Well, I know that you are quite capable of defending yourself. Sure, you might be out of practice, but you still have the knowledge of alchemy. That is still more powerful that most of the people in the military. Also..."

"Also..."

"Right after Ishbal, when you made the decision to get to the top, you did it right away. The whole process was...faster...or...you seemed more...enthused. But, then again, you weren't injured like you are now, I guess."

He sighed.

"It's aesthetically unpleasing."

"Oh?"

Roy could see the confusion held by the former First Lieutenant.

"It's aesthetically unpleasant when you call me Lieutenant Colonel. Or when I call you First Lieutenant Hawkeye. I like it better when it's just Riza and Roy. Right now, everything is aesthetically pleasant, wouldn't you agree?"

Riza Hawkeye understood. She understood that conditions in the military will make their relationship aesthetically unpleasant, to put it in Roy's term. The military in itself was aesthetically unpleasant. She sipped her tea and smirked.

" You are one selfish man."

Owari

English isn't my first language. Pardon my errors. . Review if you like. Hope you enjoyed it. Hawkeye and Mustang is my favorite couple. This is my first FMA fic so be nice. I read something in the ff community and had to agree with it: "I should be doing my college apps instead of writing fan fictions."


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